First Week of July-Defeat ALS

On the morning of the first day of the 1939 World Series, Eddie Joost, Paul Derringer, and Bucky Walters of the Cincinnati Reds were getting out of their taxi in front of Yankee Stadium when a Packard pulled to a stop 50 feet in front of them. They watched the driver get out and fall to the pavement. The driver then grabbed the Packard door and struggled to pull himself up. As the three went to help they realized it was Lou Gehrig.

Joost recalled we asked if he needed help. Gehrig greeted us and said “I’ll make it.” Joost recalls Gehrig “wasn’t embarrassed at all.” As they walked into the stadium together Joost looked down and noticed Gehrig was shuffling his feet like an old man.

After playing 2130 consecutive games for the Yankees Lou Gehrig (The Iron Horse) retired eight games into the 1939 baseball season. Mr. Gehrig was forced to retire- he had Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). ALS robbed Mr. Gehrig of his physical ability. He went from being the Iron Horse, to a shell of his physical self, and to death within two years.

May was ALS Awareness Month. May has come and gone, but ALS is still with us. Take some time to become aware of ALS. Take some time to consider the unfortunate who have ALS. Take a step to make a difference to defeat ALS.